So True, Mazoku
by LeGrande Grover
Summary: A small story about events that happen shortly after Dark Star is defeated. Lina and Xelloss are the only characters involved in the search for a temple noted for its sacred Ruby Eye. Lina, knowing that her situation is dangerous at best, must find out


**So True, Mazoku**

**1st Lie**

A world in peril is always the quickest to welcome the brave sword. Even when the cracks cannot be seen by the open eye, there is a silent shudder that travels through the world, alarming the very astute and petrifying the very workings of every day life. The world feels danger. It trembles along the faults of the people and reckons all that tread upon its soil. In the threat of life lost, it is the very few that endure as the true caretakers of the globe.

However, the world doesn't always recognize safety.

The defeat of Dark Star, much like all of the other events that had permeated the life of Lina Inverse, seemed to fade into the past as the months rolled by. Her resume would have read very impressively. _Dragon Spooker. Bandit Killer. Apt at defying Mazoku lords. Personal saint of the Golden Lord of Nightmares. _The last may have been a bit zealous on her part, but the past spoke for itself. The world revolved around Lina and she felt that for all of the things she had done to protect it, everything that existed should have been a little more cooperative with her.

The camp around her had been reduced to nothing but ashes and the remaining lackeys of the almighty Boss Zaffar were scattering like embers being thrown from a burning fire. The remnants of his impressive décor were now tattered and bleeding like the wounds from his head. Lina, looking as malevolent as possible, was holding this large man against a wall with nothing more than her impish grin, though after her use of these foreign magics, it was more than adequate.

"So tell me again, Zaffar-sama, about these mystical treasures you have," Lina cooed softly, prodding him like stocked cattle.

The new world was like a feast before Lina's eyes, for the treasures and secrets locked away in this place could easily grant her with the fame and fortune she desired. With no real amount of magic performed there, it was easy to see why Lina's eyes had become so big.

There was no immediate danger any longer and all of her friends had gone their separate ways again. Even Gourry, who was now simply lacking his sword, had gone home in order to deal with the loss of his heirloom to his family. She would have gone with him, but nothing could keep her eye from the horizon and the treasures that could lie just beyond. Amelia had returned to Seyruun in order to help her father with another quest into the new world, so Lina had the feeling she would run into her sooner or later. Zelgadis, as usual, simply disappeared. She knew that she would see him again since he was adamant about finding a cure in the new world. Filia was now in care of the last remaining Ancient dragon, and with her being part of the now decimated Golden dragon race, they seemed perfectly suited for one another.

It was the last character that had surprised Lina and stuck around, even though that very fact was against his nature.

"Hey, Xelloss! I thought you said these guys had something of value?" Lina shouted, looking up through the smoke and fire to the figure perched casually on one of the last spires of stone still standing in the camp.

Xelloss was simply enjoying the carnage. With each scream and howl, the Mazoku smiled a bit more and took in the scenery. This was a feast for him as well, though because the suffering and anguish caused by Lina Inverse tended to tease his appetite as a Mazoku. Of course, he never participated in her quest for information and treasures, but rather observed as he always did. "Hmm," he remarked, placing a finger to his chin in thought, "I'm pretty sure they know something about that temple and Ruby Eye-sama."

Upon hearing the priest, Boss Zaffar's eyes grew very large and he gasped, staring at Lina as if she were evil itself. "You seek the sacred Ruby Eye! You are blasphemers and heretics! You seek to defile the temple at Rakgar!" he yowled, trembling in both fear and anger. Upon hearing the affirmation, Lina looked back to Boss Zaffar and grinned, much to his dismay. He had just admitted that he knew something and that was not going to make his life easier.

Xelloss, who also became interested, disappeared from the spire just as it collapsed from the decaying fire all around. Reappearing next to Lina, he smiled cheerfully at the confirmation of his information. "See?" he said.

When it came to information, or anything for that matter, that had to do with Ruby-Eye Shabranigdo, Xelloss was the very last person Lina wanted to be alone with. His, along with his master's true desires were with the separated pieces of the dark overlord, so Lina was naturally being very cautious about his presence and desire to tag along with her as she searched the new world. After she blinked, the first thing she looked for was Xelloss. In this case, their goals were in contrast and, though he remained as cordial and casual as ever, she could not dismiss the fact that he was in service to Greater Beast Zelas-Metallium who desired above all else to resurrect Shabranigdo.

However, what better place to foil Xelloss's attempts to do that very thing than right in his shadow?

Boss Zaffar, seeing Xelloss appear suddenly before him, had many of the legends and horror stories of his youth flood into his mind and weaken his knees. Stories of creatures so horrible that they could disappear into thin air only to reappear once again were claimed true when he saw Xelloss.

Lina, seeing this reaction, got a very wicked idea in her mind. "You see, my friend her is one of the Mazoku. He's a terrible creature that destroys entire towns with a single spell and benefits from the misery and suffering of others. If you know what's good for you, you'd better tell us all you know about the temple, or else he may eat you alive!" she cried, making horrendous gestures and expressions in order to instill the right amount of fear into Boss Zaffar.

Xelloss rubbed his head lightly, looking as if he had been wrongfully accused of such things. "Uhm, but doesn't that describe y…" he said. To this, he received a stern glance from Lina, but soon Boss Zaffar was yelling everything he knew about everything, including the temple, the sacred 'Ruby Eye" and many graphic details about his love life.

Lina was put off by some of the things he said and promptly used a spell to send him flying into the masses of charred rubble about the camp. Armed with the new information, she turned to Xelloss and posed dramatically, laughing with a renewed determination to gain riches and spoils at the expense of others. "Yes, now we know where the temple is! After we find out just what this 'Ruby Eye' is, we can persuade some of the monks to share their precious relics and valuables!" Lina proclaimed.

"You mean steal from them?" Xelloss suggested with a smile.

Lina replied with a threatening glare, but soon realized how futile it was to threaten this Mazoku and quickly added to his remark something that would put herself in a better light. "Relocation of ancient relics. We're going to redistribute the wealth in this land in order to stabilize the economy." With that, Lina stomped off in the direction of the temple, armed with the knowledge that no one was around to limit just how wild she could be. After all, her only companion for the moment was the one that she could trust the least with life and death, but the most with secrets.

Xelloss, looking with his ominous eyes across the destruction and chaos caused in the wake of Lina Inverse, smiled a bit. This was the very reason he remained close to her – this constant pandemonium that followed her everywhere. It was as if chaos itself resided in her. Ever-armed with ulterior motives and orders, Xelloss turned and followed after the famous, fundamental Lina Inverse.


End file.
